Story moving at snails pace

[ruffolofi]

We get about 2 story updates per year. It has been ages since this boring ass Mandalorian story arc started and same with the Malgus thing and both storylines haven't gone anywhere. In the meanwhile there's still supposed to be a war between the Republic and the Empire as well as our Alliance and the whole saboteur story arc as well... but nothing has been done with those story arcs either. 

And when we do get new story our role has been reduced to a mere bystander, there to listen to Shae Visla and Darth Malgus go on about something that has nothing to do with us. I miss the times of KOTFE/KOTET/Traitor when it still felt like our story. 

My suggestion is to scrap these storylines entirely and just make two new class stories instead: Imperial Trooper and Republic SIS Agent and make a new melee class for them so our non-Force characters can finally use melee weapons.

[lukeisjedi]

7 minutes ago, ruffolofi said:

We get about 2 story updates per year. It has been ages since this boring ass Mandalorian story arc started and same with the Malgus thing and both storylines haven't gone anywhere. In the meanwhile there's still supposed to be a war between the Republic and the Empire as well as our Alliance and the whole saboteur story arc as well... but nothing has been done with those story arcs either. 

And when we do get new story our role has been reduced to a mere bystander, there to listen to Shae Visla and Darth Malgus go on about something that has nothing to do with us. I miss the times of KOTFE/KOTET/Traitor when it still felt like our story. 

My suggestion is to scrap these storylines entirely and just make two new class stories instead: Imperial Trooper and Republic SIS Agent and make a new melee class for them so our non-Force characters can finally use melee weapons.

Nope. I did enjoy KOTFE and KOTET but I don't feel that it isn't our story anymore.  I don't think creating a class story for two classes and ignoring the rest is a good idea.   I think the story they are creating is good imo.

[Nee-Elder]

7 minutes ago, lukeisjedi said:

  I think the story they are creating is good imo.

Yeah some of the writing has been lackluster recently, but imo  the new 'Ruhnuk'  story & script was  SUPERB.

Hopefully  we get more of that type of quality in 2023.  ( But yes, it would be nice to get more quantity  of it too.  And more often, like ESO does. )

[denavin]

It is odd, but has anyone noticed that since Charles Boyd has left, the story's have improved....

Not saying anything bad about Charles but his writing was getting a bit dull.

 

[lukeisjedi]

6 hours ago, Nee-Elder said:

Yeah some of the writing has been lackluster recently, but imo  the new 'Ruhnuk'  story & script was  SUPERB.

Hopefully  we get more of that type of quality in 2023.  ( But yes, it would be nice to get more quantity  of it too.  And more often, like ESO does. )

I've liked all the content story wise but I do agree this was very well done.

[OlBuzzard]

Ya know ... I got to thinking about this.  
** OK ..  how good was this last release?  Overall ... High marks.  IMO the bar to quality was pushed back up into place (as it should be).  The team did REALLY good as far as I'm concerned.
** Malgus story ??  Obviously intertwined with the Mandos now!  Soooo  ..  what if it takes another year to sort out the Mandalorian involvement?  AND to top that off we still haven't quite solved the mystery of whatever Malgus is up to (let alone actually STOP him).  Let's face it ... the war between the Sith Empire and the Republic really isn't centered around Malgus. So basically we have 3 fronts?  ...  The war between the Republic and Malgus (with Malgus keeping things stirred up with his own agenda).  The Mandalorian conflict AND of course there is Malgus himself.
** Two more years?  Maybe more?

Hmmmm.

Ya know!  If it takes another 3 years to conclude the story of Malgus, the war AND the Mandalorians  AND we KEEP getting the kind of stuff we got with 7.2:  I'm OK with that! 

Edited December 28, 2022 by OlBuzzard
clarification

[FlameYOL]

8 hours ago, ruffolofi said:

We get about 2 story updates per year. It has been ages since this boring ass Mandalorian story arc started and same with the Malgus thing and both storylines haven't gone anywhere. In the meanwhile there's still supposed to be a war between the Republic and the Empire as well as our Alliance and the whole saboteur story arc as well... but nothing has been done with those story arcs either. 

And when we do get new story our role has been reduced to a mere bystander, there to listen to Shae Visla and Darth Malgus go on about something that has nothing to do with us. I miss the times of KOTFE/KOTET/Traitor when it still felt like our story. 

My suggestion is to scrap these storylines entirely and just make two new class stories instead: Imperial Trooper and Republic SIS Agent and make a new melee class for them so our non-Force characters can finally use melee weapons.

Right because the game struggling to release story content can just scrap all current projects and somehow be able to do two completely new origin stories. Did you even read what you posted man? Because it makes no sense, you think making a new origin and combat style story is as easy as flipping a light switch.

[Chryptyk]

why would introducing a new class necessitate creating an origin story?  i don't think it should.  you just slide it in with a short intro story for it.  other games have done it.  the more daunting questions i think would be what specs it could be and then what mainhand and offhand it could have.  

[eabevella]

Adding new "combat style" could be great since nowadays combat styles are not tied with origin stories.

Scrapping the old story? That's not possible. Not to mention that the Malgus/Mando plot is fine.

The only complaint I have is the lack of class-specific dialogue. It really reduces the replay value of the story, a thing I hate since KOTxx. Even though it's not something new, but I found the lack of class-specific dialogue in the 7.2 update disturbing (ha) despite the story itself being good.

[ruffolofi]

5 hours ago, FlameYOL said:

Right because the game struggling to release story content can just scrap all current projects and somehow be able to do two completely new origin stories. Did you even read what you posted man? Because it makes no sense, you think making a new origin and combat style story is as easy as flipping a light switch.

I would be willing to wait 1-3 years for this to happen. 

[ruffolofi]

4 hours ago, eabevella said:

Adding new "combat style" could be great since nowadays combat styles are not tied with origin stories.

Scrapping the old story? That's not possible. Not to mention that the Malgus/Mando plot is fine.

The only complaint I have is the lack of class-specific dialogue. It really reduces the replay value of the story, a thing I hate since KOTxx. Even though it's not something new, but I found the lack of class-specific dialogue in the 7.2 update disturbing (ha) despite the story itself being good.

KOTFE/KOTET had lots of class specific dialogue and unique content but other than that I agree with what you're saying. Why can't they even do what Shadow of Revan did... which is still make the story feel unique for different classes even though it was mostly the same experience for everyone. 

[ruffolofi]

13 hours ago, Nee-Elder said:

Yeah some of the writing has been lackluster recently, but imo  the new 'Ruhnuk'  story & script was  SUPERB.

Hopefully  we get more of that type of quality in 2023.  ( But yes, it would be nice to get more quantity  of it too.  And more often, like ESO does. )

The cinematics were impressive but that's about it. Mandalorians being able to trap the Force User Player Character was absurd. As if no one had ever thought about that before - and I bet we will never hear about it again either. Other than that it was just us dragging along fighting endless mobs while having absolutely zero impact on anything that happened. It's not our story - it's about Viszla and the Mandalorians inner fighting. Boring, especially if your character is not a Mandalorian themselves.

I wanted at least an update about how the Alliance is doing or how the war is going but there was nothing. 

[SteveTheCynic]

10 hours ago, Chryptyk said:

why would introducing a new class necessitate creating an origin story?  i don't think it should.  you just slide it in with a short intro story for it.  other games have done it.  the more daunting questions i think would be what specs it could be and then what mainhand and offhand it could have.  

Both "Imperial Trooper" and "Republic SIS Agent" sound like the names of origin stories.  I certainly don't see any reason that a combat style should be named either of those.  (Think about a (Republic) Trooper carrying a combat style called "Imperial Trooper".  I hope you see why it's a bad name for a combat style.)

[Chryptyk]

1 hour ago, SteveTheCynic said:

Both "Imperial Trooper" and "Republic SIS Agent" sound like the names of origin stories.  I certainly don't see any reason that a combat style should be named either of those.  (Think about a (Republic) Trooper carrying a combat style called "Imperial Trooper".  I hope you see why it's a bad name for a combat style.)

a lot of my mandos became mercs and my sages became sorcs.  What do i care about combat style names?  plus i didn't say anything about those 2 particular names for new classes.  i only said that it can be done because making a new class does not require a 3 chapter origin story.  only a short intro as to why they're here and what they can do.  Though now that i think about, an imp class that could use a cannon or a pub class that could use a sniper rifle would be good.  it might give us more reasons to use them, instead of being restricted to just 1 class.

[SteveTheCynic]

3 hours ago, Chryptyk said:

a lot of my mandos became mercs and my sages became sorcs.  What do i care about combat style names?  plus i didn't say anything about those 2 particular names for new classes.  i only said that it can be done because making a new class does not require a 3 chapter origin story.

Indeed, a new Combat Style does not require any kind of new Origin story.

3 hours ago, Chryptyk said:

only a short intro as to why they're here and what they can do.  Though now that i think about, an imp class that could use a cannon or a pub class that could use a sniper rifle would be good.  it might give us more reasons to use them, instead of being restricted to just 1 class.

An Imp *style* that can use a cannon, right?  (Trying to avoid the ambiguity of "class", thanks.)  Sounds like "Imp Origin with Commando Style" to me.  Why do they need a new style for that?  (OK, yes, there's a balance problem at the moment, but that's a *balance* problem, not a "not enough styles using this weapon" problem.)

[Chryptyk]

7 minutes ago, SteveTheCynic said:

An Imp *style* that can use a cannon, right?  (Trying to avoid the ambiguity of "class", thanks.)  Sounds like "Imp Origin with Commando Style" to me.  Why do they need a new style for that?  (OK, yes, there's a balance problem at the moment, but that's a *balance* problem, not a "not enough styles using this weapon" problem.)

I actually meant class.  A new tech class that could do all 3 roles.  It could have been born out of the Alliance, let's just say.  No real origin, just hey we saw a need for this capability, so we trained people like this.  It would just give us a reason to use the particular weapons and give us more things to play.  Depending on how they are designed, it could be really fun.  Plus after 11 years of the same class mix, it's kinda boring.  We need some spice.  

[SteveTheCynic]

And presumably with two new styles, one Burst/DoT/Heal, one Burst/DoT/Tank, just like we have on "classic" Trooper (Commando for B/D/H, Vanguard for B/D/T)?

Could be interesting, but why bother with the new Origin (an origin that doesn't have an origin story.......)?

And since the main character is supposed to be the Commander after KotFE/ET, what would be the story-oriented justification(1) for the new origin being "oh, we trained some special troops" versus "and this one is the Commander"?

Oh, and where in the current story would it start?

(1) There has to *be* a justification, since all the existing dialogue is based on the player character being the Commander.

[Chryptyk]

6 minutes ago, SteveTheCynic said:

(1) There has to *be* a justification, since all the existing dialogue is based on the player character being the Commander.

That's a story thing.  I personally don't care.  It wouldn't start in the current story, it would have to come out in the future somewhere.  It could be as simple as there was a power struggle and you came out on top at the end of this Mandalorian thingy or the old Commander died and you assumed command.  No real extensive background needed, it just kinda happens.

[OlBuzzard]

7 hours ago, SteveTheCynic said:

Both "Imperial Trooper" and "Republic SIS Agent" sound like the names of origin stories.  I certainly don't see any reason that a combat style should be named either of those.  (Think about a (Republic) Trooper carrying a combat style called "Imperial Trooper".  I hope you see why it's a bad name for a combat style.)

I made a similar suggestion a couple of years ago:  SiS (Republic) / Dark Council Special Ops Division (Empire).  You have brought up an interesting point,  Even though I did a lot of detailed discussion on how to equip each of these agents:  "what to call their combat styles".  (Please note that both were considered FSNFU:  Force sensitive but NON-force user).

Hmmmm ...  I'll have to kick that idea around a bit!  

Good point, sir!

[Achnaattwo]

4 hours ago, Chryptyk said:

We need some spice

what about a chief , that throws knives and sprinkle spice in your eyes as a slow  , and the other faction are bartenders, that hurl bottles and light spiting alcohol flames in your face

[eabevella]

19 hours ago, ruffolofi said:

KOTFE/KOTET had lots of class specific dialogue and unique content but other than that I agree with what you're saying. Why can't they even do what Shadow of Revan did... which is still make the story feel unique for different classes even though it was mostly the same experience for everyone. 

Yeah KOTxx has *some* class specific dialogues but you still feel like going through the same story, even though that's still better than the Ruins of Nul onward writing (come one, an agent not making any remark when Lana said no one except Nul erased herself completely? No special dialogue from the knight to Kira regarding Emperor's Child?). The Malgus/Mando writer team did write good main story, but I hope they are given more notes regarding the origin stories to give more personal flavor to the same main plot.

Personally, I love the RotHC format: two independent stories regarding one overall main event. People hate Makeb, but I love how the two stories coexist at the same time. There are good class specific dialogue and choices that make sense. It's one expansion I actually hope direly to have an option to replay.

Back to new combat style...

Don't thing we really need a "background story" for new ones. I mean, as in post 7.0, combat styles have nothing to do with the origin stories. You don't need explanation in-universe for a new combat style. As for the naming... that's the writers' job, I suppose. They'll come up with some cool names. Inventing new combat styles that work (and balanced with the existing ones) would be the real difficult job.

One of the most wished for combat style is a melee combat style that uses blade for tech classes. I guess you'll have to restrict the combat style to use vibroblade only (so they can't use lightsaber). Someone WILL complain, but I guess most people will be happy to have a new combat style.

It will be more tricky to make a combat style for force classes that uses ranged weapon like a blaster but maybe there's something in the SW history that'll make it logical lore-wise. Someone like Ezra but uses Lightsaber + blaster.

[lukeisjedi]

On 12/28/2022 at 9:29 PM, eabevella said:

Yeah KOTxx has *some* class specific dialogues but you still feel like going through the same story, even though that's still better than the Ruins of Nul onward writing (come one, an agent not making any remark when Lana said no one except Nul erased herself completely? No special dialogue from the knight to Kira regarding Emperor's Child?). The Malgus/Mando writer team did write good main story, but I hope they are given more notes regarding the origin stories to give more personal flavor to the same main plot.

Personally, I love the RotHC format: two independent stories regarding one overall main event. People hate Makeb, but I love how the two stories coexist at the same time. There are good class specific dialogue and choices that make sense. It's one expansion I actually hope direly to have an option to replay.

Back to new combat style...

Don't thing we really need a "background story" for new ones. I mean, as in post 7.0, combat styles have nothing to do with the origin stories. You don't need explanation in-universe for a new combat style. As for the naming... that's the writers' job, I suppose. They'll come up with some cool names. Inventing new combat styles that work (and balanced with the existing ones) would be the real difficult job.

One of the most wished for combat style is a melee combat style that uses blade for tech classes. I guess you'll have to restrict the combat style to use vibroblade only (so they can't use lightsaber). Someone WILL complain, but I guess most people will be happy to have a new combat style.

It will be more tricky to make a combat style for force classes that uses ranged weapon like a blaster but maybe there's something in the SW history that'll make it logical lore-wise. Someone like Ezra but uses Lightsaber + blaster.

I do think some more class specific dialog should have been included, but the over story for Ruins of Nul onward is fine imo.